by Emma Grove

A huge buoy which broke from its moorings in the Thames Estuary caused a stir when it washed ashore.

Nicky Frewin and her partner Alf Packham spotted the Spaniard cardinal buoy when it appeared on Shellness Beach.

They saw it when they were returning home from a trip to Eastchurch last Wednesday morning and believe it had come loose sometime over night.

It washed ashore right by the Retreat Cafe off the Leysdown Road and the couple, who are wardens of the Shellness Estate, phoned Sheppey Coastguard to report it.

Coastguard Ian Goodwin explained that the 10ft-tall buoy is a main navigational marker used to let vessels know which direction to keep to so they don’t run aground.

It would normally be anchored to the sea bed about a mile north east off Leysdown towards Tankerton and Ian said they are worth thousands of pounds.

Although it doesn’t happen very often, it does bring back memories for Ian who was called once before when someone thought the flashing lights on a cardinal marker was someone in distress.

He said: “It’s quite significant and it will be put back as a matter of urgency.”

Alf said: “It’s a huge great thing and it must have come up over night as it wasn’t there on Tuesday.

“It’s never happened before.”

Nicky added: “It’s something you don’t see on the beach every day and at first we didn’t really know what to do about reporting it.

“We were gobsmacked.”